Cooperate to expedite clean water

Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7:34 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7:34 p.m.

Hendersonville, North Carolina and possibly Henderson County officials should do all they can in partnership to expedite waterline extensions to homes in Dana where wells are tainted by agricultural pesticides.

There’s no doubt the city will do what’s right, as it has in past cases of groundwater contamination. Hendersonville extended waterlines to the area around the General Electric Plant in East Flat Rock after industrial chemicals were discovered in wells there in the late 1980s (with GE paying for the extensions).

The city came through again to extend waterlines to the area around Brookside Camp and Howard Gap roads when water there was found to be tainted with gasoline additives 10 years ago.

Now some residents of Dana need help. State environmental officials have identified almost two dozen homes with contaminated wells off Academy Road and Meadow Woods Drive. The state has advised residents not to drink the water and to limit showers to 10 minutes.

Of 57 wells sampled so far, 23 tested above state and federal health-based standards for the pesticide dieldrin. Four of those showed excessive levels of heptachlor epoxide. Chlordane and endrin ketone were discovered above government standards. All the chemicals were used to control insects on corn crops from 1950 until they were banned in the mid- to late 1980s, and all are potentially harmful.

Officials from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources began testing the wells in October as part of screenings for chemicals used in old orchards. In Dana, they were surprised to find contamination from chemicals typically used on row crops.

DENR in 2008 began a countywide investigation to determine where groundwater could be vulnerable to pesticides and insecticides. The Academy Road site was the third area studied and the first to show such high levels for dieldrin. The state initially found some wells in the area contaminated back in 2000. It’s not clear why 12 years elapsed before the new round of testing.

State officials speculate the chemicals entered groundwater through fractures in bedrock, improper well construction, damaged wells, spills or accidental back-siphoning pesticides. The specific cause will probably never be known.

What is important now is for the city, state and possibly Henderson County to work together to get clean water to residents as quickly and affordably as possible.

Dana Baptist Church has asked the city to install a tap to give residents of the surrounding community access to clean water. This could provide a temporary solution until lines can be extended to homes.

Extending a waterline down Academy Road to Sugarloaf Road, with feeder lines down side streets, could cost about $600,000, Interim City Manager A. Lee Galloway estimates. The cost may go up if more tainted wells are discovered.

Residents typically pay two costs to hook on to city waterlines: a connection fee of $925, and a system development charge of $800. The city is exploring grant sources that could cover all or part of the connection fee, Utilities Director Lee Smith says. These include the Bernard Allen Emergency Drinking Water Fund established by the N.C. General Assembly to assist low-income residents in areas where groundwater contamination is discovered, and a grant through the North Carolina Rural Center. The city used a Rural Center grant in the past and is not eligible to apply again; however, Henderson County is eligible and should be prepared to help out if needed.

The city collects the system development charge to use for future water and sewer upgrades. In the case of the Dana groundwater contamination, city leaders should consider waiving part or all of this fee in hardship cases. Residents will likely face other costs not covered by grants.

The city had planned to extend waterlines to the area in 2015, but the discovery of tainted wells has created an emergency that requires prompt action. Residents, through no fault of their own, can no longer drink their water.

With its long history of responding to such crises, we expect Hendersonville will come to the rescue as quickly as the details can be finalized.

<p>Hendersonville, North Carolina and possibly Henderson County officials should do all they can in partnership to expedite waterline extensions to homes in Dana where wells are tainted by agricultural pesticides.</p><p>There's no doubt the city will do what's right, as it has in past cases of groundwater contamination. Hendersonville extended waterlines to the area around the General Electric Plant in East Flat Rock after industrial chemicals were discovered in wells there in the late 1980s (with GE paying for the extensions).</p><p>The city came through again to extend waterlines to the area around Brookside Camp and Howard Gap roads when water there was found to be tainted with gasoline additives 10 years ago.</p><p>Now some residents of Dana need help. State environmental officials have identified almost two dozen homes with contaminated wells off Academy Road and Meadow Woods Drive. The state has advised residents not to drink the water and to limit showers to 10 minutes.</p><p>Of 57 wells sampled so far, 23 tested above state and federal health-based standards for the pesticide dieldrin. Four of those showed excessive levels of heptachlor epoxide. Chlordane and endrin ketone were discovered above government standards. All the chemicals were used to control insects on corn crops from 1950 until they were banned in the mid- to late 1980s, and all are potentially harmful.</p><p>Officials from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources began testing the wells in October as part of screenings for chemicals used in old orchards. In Dana, they were surprised to find contamination from chemicals typically used on row crops.</p><p>DENR in 2008 began a countywide investigation to determine where groundwater could be vulnerable to pesticides and insecticides. The Academy Road site was the third area studied and the first to show such high levels for dieldrin. The state initially found some wells in the area contaminated back in 2000. It's not clear why 12 years elapsed before the new round of testing.</p><p>State officials speculate the chemicals entered groundwater through fractures in bedrock, improper well construction, damaged wells, spills or accidental back-siphoning pesticides. The specific cause will probably never be known.</p><p>What is important now is for the city, state and possibly Henderson County to work together to get clean water to residents as quickly and affordably as possible.</p><p>Dana Baptist Church has asked the city to install a tap to give residents of the surrounding community access to clean water. This could provide a temporary solution until lines can be extended to homes.</p><p>Extending a waterline down Academy Road to Sugarloaf Road, with feeder lines down side streets, could cost about $600,000, Interim City Manager A. Lee Galloway estimates. The cost may go up if more tainted wells are discovered.</p><p>Residents typically pay two costs to hook on to city waterlines: a connection fee of $925, and a system development charge of $800. The city is exploring grant sources that could cover all or part of the connection fee, Utilities Director Lee Smith says. These include the Bernard Allen Emergency Drinking Water Fund established by the N.C. General Assembly to assist low-income residents in areas where groundwater contamination is discovered, and a grant through the North Carolina Rural Center. The city used a Rural Center grant in the past and is not eligible to apply again; however, Henderson County is eligible and should be prepared to help out if needed.</p><p>The city collects the system development charge to use for future water and sewer upgrades. In the case of the Dana groundwater contamination, city leaders should consider waiving part or all of this fee in hardship cases. Residents will likely face other costs not covered by grants.</p><p>The city had planned to extend waterlines to the area in 2015, but the discovery of tainted wells has created an emergency that requires prompt action. Residents, through no fault of their own, can no longer drink their water.</p><p>With its long history of responding to such crises, we expect Hendersonville will come to the rescue as quickly as the details can be finalized.</p>